Christmas Cheer
by YunaDax
Summary: Doesn't everyone hate Christmas shopping?


itle : Christmas Cheer  
Author : Julia [yunadax@dragon.net.au]  
Disclaimer: Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Hal has gone away.. Let his little  
Ratty doll and now I'm going to play... HEY!  
Authors note: this one is dedicated to my pal and partner in crime Cammy..  
this should cheer ya up girl!  
  
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Rachel Goldstein looked dejectedly down at her Christmas list.. Hell  
there was only 2 days until Christmas and she STILL hadn't done her  
shopping. Looking down at the list of extremely neat writing (for if you  
wrote the names neat and slowly enough, the ideas were SPOSED to come.. well  
thats what was SPOSED to happen). Sighing she glanced down at the list of  
names.  
Helen -  
Jeff -  
Frank -  
Jack? - ???????  
Tayler -  
Gavin -  
Dave -  
Woodsy? - ?????  
Tommy - mobile phone case?  
  
Staring at the slip of paper she mulled over Christmas possibilities,  
she could get Frank a tie... but then again he had heaps of ties, she could  
get Jeff some more fish... but then again Rat ate the last lot, she could  
get Helen some perfume... now thats a good idea... but which one...? Rachel  
slumped into her chair, giving Rat a quick cuddle as he mosied across her  
desk. Picking up her pen she added another name to the list - Rat. Looking  
at the rapidly growing black and white ball of fluff she mulled over the  
recent events... Sushi.. the damned cat wanted SUSHI! So next to the name  
Rat, she wrote Sushi, looking again at the cat whole was now investigating  
the evils of the potplant. That cat needed a toy, she thought to herself and  
Rat pounced on the waxy leaves, so she wrote CatToy, next to the Sushi.  
Frustrated by her distinct lack of progress, Rachel picked up her bag,  
grabbed her list, locked the door behind her and headed out in the warm  
Sydney evening.  
Climbing into her car Rachel looked at the small digital display on the  
dashboard. ::9.15PM:: it read.  
*hrmm* she thought *still time for good ole Thursday late night shopping!*  
Grinning she started up the car and headed for the local shopping centre.  
Driving around for ages she finally found a parking spot, just as she  
reached the point of turning on the sirens to hurry things up a bit.  
Stepping out of the car she half jogged up the escalator, dodgeing the  
trolleys ladenned with gifts and their weary pushers in her haste to get  
this BLASTED shopping done. Normally she didn't mind shopping, she was one  
of those people that walked into a shop, got exactly what she wanted, and  
walked out again, none of the browsing, making up ones mind garbage.  
Walking into Grace Bros, Rachel mosied around the fragrance section,  
sniffing at the display bottles before sneezing loudy a few times. Wiping  
her nose she decided it definatly WASN'T that bottle she was going to get  
Helen. After what seemed like an eternity, Rachel finally found a bottle of  
French perfume that she thought Helen would like. Taking the bottle to the  
counter, she handed it over to the salesperson, nearly dying when the price  
came up on the cashregister.  
" That's $105 thanks Ma'am" the snotty saleman said as he wrapped the  
perfume in the standard gold and white Grace Bros wrapping paper. Sighing  
she forked out the good ole faithful MasterCard, signed the docket, and  
escaped from the whiffs of the fragrance section.  
Rounding the corner past the ever so snotty looking tall piney thing  
Chrissie Tree that one always finds in Grace Bros, Rachel found herself  
inthe Menswear section. Looking through the racks of expensive mens  
clothing, Rachel became more and more depressed. This year she wanted to be  
different. Every other year she had gotten Frank a tie... year after year.  
So this year, she was determined to be different. PIcking up a rather nice  
looking striped tie, she whipped out the lovely Gold MasterCard, and added  
the now wrapped gift to her bag, ticking Jeff off her list of prezzies.  
Delving even further into the land of massive creditcard bills, Rachel  
sniffed around the kitchenwear section to find something for Tayler.  
Wandering up and down the isles of English China she eventually settled on a  
simple set of decorative placemats, complete with little ducks on them.  
* So.... Tayler!* she thought as the MasterCard saw more daylight, the  
prezzie bag growing at the same rate as the creditcard bill.  
The next section to shine its expensive light on Rachel was the book  
section. Rows apon rows of books lined themselves up for her inspection,  
glancing at her list again, Rachel headed for the Fishing section,  
determined to find her next target there. Sighing as she read the titles,  
Rachel thought better of the idea.  
-Fishing for Beginners-  
- The Amatuers Guide to Fishing-  
-Fish like a pro, a beginners guide - Grumbling Rachel headed OUT of the  
fishing section, passing the comedy section on the way. A book seemed to  
just throw itself at her, grabbing her attention as she passed. Stopping in  
her tracks the book seemed to just innocently stare at her. - The Farside  
Guide to Fishing -.  
" You Beauty!" Rachel exclaimed as she triumphantly grabbed the book and  
headed once again for the MasterCard. Grabbing her pen again she ticked off  
Gavin on her paper, smiling at the progress she was making. Glancing around  
the store she moved into the next section.  
Cd's and Videos seem to be everywhere at once as Rachel moved along the  
narrow isles of the audio/visual section. Mulling over a few titles she  
finally found the perfect CD for Tommy. Jay Laga'aia. A rather unknown  
artist, but one Rachel was sure Tommy would like. Again the MasterCard got a  
workout, keeping those nice raised black numbers nice and shiney!  
Looking again at her list Rachel frowned at the names she had left,  
Dave, Woodsy, Jack and Frank.  
Turning she followed the rows of CD's into the electrical section, browsing  
the shelves of small appliances before grabbing a nice compact alarm clock  
for Jack, just for those nights she spent as HIS place without a friggin  
alarm! She was NOT gonna get caught out like she had last time, both of  
them arriving conspicuously late and making it painfully obvious what they  
had been up to the night before. Smiling she looked at the appliance. It was  
small, and white, and had cute little antiquey looking hands on it. The  
MasterCard beefed up its bill once more as another giftwrapped prezzie was  
added to the now bulging bag.  
Looking at the list she tried to think of what to get Dave, then  
recalled the amount of times she had had to rescue him from the depths of  
his computer. The guy was a genius when it came to dive computers, but stick  
him on a normal PC with Windows 95 and the guys was like a fish out of  
water, calling Rachel down countless times to help him with something.  
Smiling Rachel picked up the Windows 95 for Dummies textbook, made the  
MasterCard shine, and added it to a FRESH shopping bag.  
"Woodsy Woodsy Woodsy" Rachel muttered as she strolled out of the  
computer section and down the isle past the Christmas trees. She still  
hadn't really forgiven the woman after the episode of the bad day, where  
Emma had gossiped to the entire station about her. But still it was  
Christmas and she felt obligated to make peace. Passing the kitchenwear  
section again Rachel spied the perfect gift. A glass dove, with Peace  
engraved on the stand. Grinning madly Rachel marched up to the counter and  
gave the MasterCard another pounding.  
Ambling down the isle agian, Rachel began to feel the strain of the  
evening, her arms ached from the shopping bags, and her mind was just about  
numb from thinking of all these prezzies, let alone the agonising thought of  
the Mastercard bill. Although she still had one present to get. Franks.  
She wandered around the store again, taking in all 3 levels before  
admitting defeat and walking out. Looking u pand down the deserted corridor  
Rachel saw that she was the only person there, all other shoppers long gone  
home. Sneeking a peek at her watch she nearly fainted when she saw the time.  
::11:51PM:: Panicky thoughts raced her mind as she tried to think of  
something to get Frank. Most of the stores were starting to close as her  
heels clicked down the marble. Reaching the end of the mall she spied the  
one shop that she hadn't considered yet. Crazy Prices. Grinning like a  
madwoman Rachel casually strolled through the turnstiles, carefull not to  
catch her bags on anything. Hurridly she whizzed up and down the isles,  
ignoring the stange looks she got from the storeworkers as they packed up  
for the night. Rumaging around a few things she spied something that she  
thought he would like, and considering the state of his flat, he might  
appreciate too. Picking up the item she paid a small price in cash, and then  
darted back to the car, carrying all her bags and prezzies as though they  
were made of gold.  
Later that night she wearily hopped out of her car, in through her front  
door and tiredly wrote out the cards to accompany her gifts, wrapping  
Frank's with the only scrap of Christmas wrapping paper she could find in  
her entire house. Smiling her weary smile she crashed into bed to catch a  
few z's before work the next day.  
9am the next morning Santa, otherwise known as Detective Senior  
Constable Rachel Goldstein, waltzed through the double doors into the  
station. Smiling she handed her gifts out to everyone downstairs, including  
Jeff who was kicking Helen's bum for something Jack had done.... again...  
before heading upstairs to deliver Franks.  
Frank was working quietly in their office, mulling over the facts of  
yet another Christmas murder as Rachel smuggly strolled into the office, a  
large rectangular box under her arm. Grinning she dumped it on his desk  
before heading over to place her now empty bags in the bottom drawer of her  
own desk.  
"Merry Chrissie Frank" She smiled as she watched his eyes bulge in  
surprise. He held up the present, eyes still bulging. The Idiots Mug and  
Socks were displayed. Regaining his compusure Frank examined his presents,  
then laughed as he saw what was written on them. * lips go here, hand goes  
here, pour this way, and on the socks, toe goes here, heel goes here, leg  
goes in here* Looking again at the coffee cup Frank noticed a slip of paper  
in the bottom. Reading it his eyes bulged again.  
" Free HouseCleaning.. for a YEAR??!?!?" he said in absolute awe. " You mean  
I wont have to clean for a YEAR?"  
" Yep" Rach smiled in reply " but dont take it that you cant keep your side  
of the office tidy!" she laughed. Yeah maybe Christmas wasn't that bad after  
all :)  
  
Finis... well I hope you liked it.. its a nice little Christmas fluff for  
yas :)  
  
THE END  
  



End file.
